NBA to Use Artificial Intelligence to Aid Referees

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has revealed plans to implement an artificial intelligence system, similar to tennis's Hawk-Eye technology, to automate out-of-bounds calls. This system would instantly determine if a ball touched the line or who last touched it, eliminating the need to pause games for replay reviews.

This announcement follows several officiating controversies, notably during the Western Conference Finals between the Thunder and the Spurs, where the Texas-based team felt disadvantaged on two close occasions.

However, that same series, which will decide the Western Conference champion to face the Knicks (East) in the 80th NBA Finals, has also seen discussions about flopping, particularly from the Oklahoma City squad, with two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander often at the center of these debates. This not only helps him draw fouls on key opposing players but also frequently sends him to the free-throw line.

Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, Adam Silver outlined the plan to eradicate these types of errors. “If you’re a tennis fan, they have what they call Hawk-Eye. It’s like an animation, and you quickly see where the line was,” he stated, drawing a comparison to the technology he intends to adopt.

The proposed system will utilize cameras and artificial intelligence to make instantaneous and objective decisions. “We’re going to move to a system like that, where that entire category of decisions will be automatic. You’ll know immediately if the ball belongs to the Lakers, the Knicks, or the Thunder,” Silver detailed. “These decisions will be handled by an automated AI system with cameras aligned around the court, and it will take all those so-called objective calls out of the referees’ hands.”

Silver emphasized that implementing this technology will eliminate the need for referees to review these plays, as well as coaches' challenge requests. “It will be instantaneous. It will just be automatic. Next play. Let’s go,” Silver commented. “We won’t have to deal with challenges for those decisions anymore.”

The NBA commissioner also hopes that by no longer having to worry about these aspects of the game, officials can fully concentrate on more subjective decisions, such as foul calls. “It will also allow the referees to dedicate their full attention to the more difficult subjective calls, because often there’s contact on every play. That doesn’t automatically mean it’s a foul,” he added.

“They are trying to assess if the contact is actually impeding the player and the intensity of that contact. That’s something that cannot be determined by camera alone, because referees are on the court feeling and seeing the physicality in real-time,” Adam Silver further justified, implying that certain uncalled situations during the same series—where players were grabbing, pushing, pulling arms and jerseys, and even hair—might be due to referees' preoccupation with other game aspects.

Typically, before implementing new rules or officiating aids in its main league, the NBA tests them in summer leagues and especially in the G League, its developmental league where teams house prospects and some players can compete in both, as was the case for Neemias Queta in his first three NBA seasons.